Vietnam breaks ground on first high-speed rail to link Hanoi and Ha Long Bay

The project was launched at the Ha Long Xanh station site in Tuan Chau and Viet Hung wards in Quang Ninh Province, home to the UNESCO-listed Ha Long Bay. It marks the first high-speed railway to enter construction in Vietnam.

The Hanoi-Quang Ninh line will be a double-track, standard-gauge (1,435 mm), electrified railway. It will run from the Vietnam National Exhibition Center in Dong Anh Commune, Hanoi, to a park area in Tuan Chau Ward, Quang Ninh Province.

A perspective view of Ha Long Xanh station of the Hanoi – Quang Ninh high-speed railway line. Photo by Xuan Hoa

The main section is designed for speeds of up to 350 kph, while the segment within Hanoi will operate at 120 kph. The route will include five stations: Co Loa, Gia Binh, Ninh Xa, Yen Tu, and Ha Long Xanh, with a depot at the Ha Long Xanh station.

The project will require 551 hectares of land, including 44 hectares in Hanoi, 19 hectares in Bac Ninh, 210 hectares in Hai Phong, and 278 hectares in Quang Ninh.

Total investment is estimated at VND147.37 trillion (US$5.59 billion), excluding VND10.27 trillion for land clearance to be funded by the state budget.

The investor, Vinspeed Infrastructure Investment and Development JSC, will contribute approximately VND22.11 trillion, while more than VND125 trillion, about 85% of the total, will be mobilized from other sources.

The railway is expected to be completed by 2028, cutting travel time between Hanoi and Quang Ninh from 2–2.5 hours by road to approximately 25-30 minutes.

According to Quang Ninh authorities, the line is intended to meet rising passenger demand along the Hanoi–Bac Ninh–Hai Phong–Quang Ninh corridor, support sustainable socio-economic development, enhance regional connectivity, and strengthen links with the national and international railway network.

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